Mills James seeing corporate meetings make a comeback

While a weak economy crimped many areas of business activity, one sector hit hard was business
meetings as cash-strapped companies canceled many of their larger events. But as more signs point
to recovery, Mills James has also seen a resurgence in business events among its clients.

“Companies are realizing there’s been a gap in their communication strategy,” said Rodrick
Pauley, vice president of Brand Experience at Mills James. “Forward-thinking communications and
marketing teams are reviving their all-associate and large sales meetings to reconnect with their
audiences and are investing in measurable experiences that allow them to educate, recognize and
energize their associates in a way nothing else can.”

Pauley referred to a recent Event Marketing Institute survey revealing that among organizations
that measure the return on investment of their events, budget dollars have increased by 12.5
percent. And even among those who don’t measure ROI, investment in events as a communication tool
is up 4.8 percent.